Wheel Alignment (EF Fairmont)

chich · 10-12-2005, 01:28 PM

Hi Guys,

My EF has chewed the crap out of the inner edges of its front tyres again so its time for a new set. In order to avoid this happening again (for the third time!) i want someone to align the damn thing properly. Can someone please recommend a good place in Melbourne (pref. northern suburbs) who can do this???
By the way, i'm not going back to Bob Jane as they have done the past 3 alignments and the car still has an apetite for expensive 17" Bridgestone tyres. I think i need someone who will actually take the time to study whats wrong with the car and actually fix it... not charge $40 to effectively do nothing!

Cheers,
Anth

10-12-2005, 01:30 PM

Ok, there's obviously something else wrong with the front end of your car, not just alignment issues.

I'd be looking at;
- Tie rod ends
- Camber kit (if you have one)

Flogged tie rod ends can cause the inside edge chewing that you're describing. I'm guessing your car is lowered too, with the 17's? If so, do you have a camber caster kit?

Aaron_EF8 · 10-12-2005, 02:17 PM

Take it to a proper wheel alignment place, not just a tyre shop. most tyre shops will simply set the toe so the steering wheel sits striaght, because thats all that most people notice with an alignment. It sounds like you just need less -ve camber.

Tie-rod ends simply adjust front toe, they have nothing to do with adjusting camber. The only way they'll chew insides of front tyres is if they are either pushing out and causing one wheel to get heaps of toe-out, or the tie-rod is dragging on the tyre....

Did they give you a before/after readout on the alignment settings? What tyre pressure do you usually run?

snypereb · 10-12-2005, 02:48 PM

Any wheel and tire joint will do it for you mate your looking at about $40-$50

FNQracing · 10-12-2005, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snypereb

Any wheel and tire joint will do it for you mate your looking at about $40-$50

Any wheel and tyre joint will gladly take your $50 for doing SFA. Trouble is, there are very few places left that will put in the time required for a proper wheel alignment. Unfortunately, most wheel and tyre joints dont fall into this category.

snypereb · 10-12-2005, 03:02 PM

There still are genuine good guys out there doing the right thing. I have a guy that does it in moorabbin he has been doing wheel allignments for years and me or my mates have never had any trouble. Only thing is its not any where in the north!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aaron_EF8 · 10-12-2005, 03:17 PM

Quote:

There still are genuine good guys out there doing the right thing. I have a guy that does it in moorabbin he has been doing wheel allignments for years and me or my mates have never had any trouble. Only thing is its not any where in the north!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A lot of people say this, but how do you really know he's as good as you think, without trying a few other places??

snypereb · 10-12-2005, 03:20 PM

Family has been going there for years and no one has had any trouble.

chich · 10-12-2005, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_EF8

Take it to a proper wheel alignment place, not just a tyre shop. most tyre shops will simply set the toe so the steering wheel sits striaght, because thats all that most people notice with an alignment. It sounds like you just need less -ve camber.

Tie-rod ends simply adjust front toe, they have nothing to do with adjusting camber. The only way they'll chew insides of front tyres is if they are either pushing out and causing one wheel to get heaps of toe-out, or the tie-rod is dragging on the tyre....

Did they give you a before/after readout on the alignment settings? What tyre pressure do you usually run?

Thats exactly what they did this time around.. effectively set the toe to zero and didn't even bother adjusting the camber. The wheel does even sit straight anymore!

Just to confirm a few details: The car runs 17s and is lowered with pedders sportsryder shocks and springs. Camber/caster kit is also fitted. Tyres are run at 38-39psi which is necessary when running a soft compound tyre like my S02s. Bob Jane did supply before/after charts, left camber is set at -0.8 degrees and the right is set at -1.25 degrees!. Surprise, surprise.. the right hand tyre is substancially more worn than the left!

Interceptor'85 · 10-12-2005, 03:33 PM

I just had my EF realigned all round and it needed it something major.
Got a K mac adjustable Camber/Castor Kit on there to and she rides/steers like a dream.
The kit put everything spot on and even, so maybe its what you should look into mate.
Got mine done at Bob Jane just in Oakleigh, they are good blokes down there.

Hunter · 10-12-2005, 03:44 PM

I hear ya brother... its bloody impossible to find someone who will do a PROPER whee alignment these days. I've got a similiar problem with the front wheels on my EL - except it feathers the outside edge, but not as bad since I removed the bullbar that was on it. Mine probably needs some suspension components replaced - the lower ball joint boots are split but not ONE of the tyre places has ever told me anything about that. They're content to take $700 off me for a set of tyres but when it comes to doing the wheel alignment/notifying me of problems they don't bother. Very frustrating.

chich · 10-12-2005, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EF_Machine

I just had my EF realigned all round and it needed it something major.
Got a K mac adjustable Camber/Castor Kit on there to and she rides/steers like a dream.
The kit put everything spot on and even, so maybe its what you should look into mate.
Got mine done at Bob Jane just in Oakleigh, they are good blokes down there.

The car does have a camber/caster kit fitted its just a metter of finding someone who knows how to 'tune' i.e. align the front end properly so it doesn't chew a grands worth of tyres after 23,000 kms!

The other thing i noticed with mine was that the car doesn't feel right on the road anymore. Almost feels as if the front tyres are skimming the road and its not as confident under braking either...

jedaarr · 10-12-2005, 05:53 PM

I would check out the nothlane bushes if
they are worn out it will cut out the tyres.
A lot of the time they dont even look to
see if there shot.
It happened to me twice until a technician
picked it up with me complaining.

64compact · 11-12-2005, 11:17 PM

lowered and with biger tyres have the car set to these settings. I do on averiage 8 w/a's a day and i fit a lot of kits to fords. first make sure you get the right kits. there is 2 kits ask for the ones for a car with excessive - (neg) camber have the kit fitted, 2 required, and use these settings and you will get good life and good handling out of your E series. left cam= -0.1 no more than -0.2, Lh Caster + 5.5, ... RH cam -0.1, no more than -0.2, RH Caster +5.0, Toe total 2.5mm. note any more than - 0.3 cam on 17" wheels realy stuffs the inner edge of the tyre, i allways try to set them to -0.1 as the cam will allways creap in further - as the miles get bigger. anything less than 2.5mm will wear the inside of the tyre. and anything more than 3.5 mm will wear the outer edge of the tyre and the more weight you have in the car ie: passengers, there is an increase in Toe In. so 2.5 is about right when there is 2 in the car most times. hope this helps, you can ask for the setings when you get an align. and look at them for your self.

chich · 19-12-2005, 09:57 AM

Thanks for that dude.. always good to have figures to play with. I'll get the thing readjusted to those settings